Viacheslav Malakhov
Viacheslav Malakhov, born 1985, Moscow. Charges: Article 280.3 part 1, Russian Criminal Code (Discrediting the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, government agencies, or mercenaries); “Viacheslav Malakhov’s case of discrediting the Russian Armed Forces”. Sentence (October 24, 2024): 2 years’ imprisonment in a general regime penal colony with a ban on administering websites for 2 years. Status: at large. Recognition: Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners — recognised as a political prisoner, February 19, 2024.
In brief
Moscow · Moscow · Artists · Anti-war cases
Sentence
2 years
imprisonment in a general regime penal colony with a ban on administering websites for 2 years
Upheld September 12, 2025
Charges
- Article 280.3 part 1, Russian Criminal Code — Discrediting the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, government agencies, or mercenaries
Full wording of the charges
The reason for criminal charges was a post in Malakhov’s Telegram channel dated 8 September 2023, which begins with the phrase “nobody wants to fuck your shriveled ass, grandpa, relax and calm down”. Later, another post in Malakhov’s Telegram channel, dated September 12, 2023, was added to the case, in which he compares the officials’ contradictory statements about the return of the Russians who left to avoid mobilization with Russia’s actions towards Ukraine: “Russia: You want to attack us and kill us. Ukraine: We don’t want anything like that. Russia: Is attacking Ukraine. Ukraine: And now we do want to attack you and kill you. Russia: Now it’s okay!” In August 2023, the poet was fined 30 thousand rubles under the article on discrediting the army (Part 1 of Article 20.3.3 of the Code of Administrative Offences) for publications in the VKontakte social network. The verdict came into force on 5 September.
Latest event
September 20, 2025 — persecution ends
Recognition by rights defenders
- Recognised as a political prisoner — Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners, February 19, 2024
Timeline
· Persecution ends
· Cassation ruling
upheld
· Preventive measure: pre-trial detention
Pre-trial Detention Centre №2 (SIZO-2) of the Federal Penitentiary Service of the Russian Federation for the Vologda Oblast
· First-instance verdict
guilty verdict · 2 years
· Recognised as a political prisoner
Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners
· Persecution begins
Viacheslav Malakhov’s case of discrediting the Russian Armed Forces
· Preventive measure: placement in a temporary detention facility
Criminal case
Viacheslav Malakhov’s case of discrediting the Russian Armed Forces
- Case number
- 01-0150/2024
Thematic group: Anti-war case
Details and sources
Full summary
He is a poet, an author of lyrics and a musician of the group Pre-revolutionary Counsellor (the participants describe the genre of the project as “literary steam-punk variety”). On 31 January 2024, the apartment where Malakhov stayed during his visit to Moscow was searched in a case of discrediting the Russian Armed Forces, and he was detained. On 2 February, the court ordered that he be taken into custody. Before that, the defence offered the investigation to ask the court for a different measure of restriction, but the investigation refused, explaining, in particular, that Malakhov is a native of Ukraine. On 24 October 2024, Malakhov was sentenced to two years in a general regime colony. On 20 August 2025, he was released from the colony.
All fields of the record
- Citizenship
- Russia
Other people prosecuted under Article 280.3 part 1, Russian Criminal Code
Under the same article, not necessarily in the same case.